24 churches and 40 farmers to celebrate this year’s harvest

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The public is invited to help 40 farmers and members of 24 rural and suburban churches celebrate the 2012 harvest. Last year, the event attracted more than 400 people.

The farmers and churches help alleviate hunger through the Foods Resource Bank, a Christian response to world hunger. They come together in three local growing projects to help fund sustainable growing programs in third world countries.

This year, the three local FRB growing projects – Somonauk, Earlville and Ottawa/Barrington – are expected to raise about $70,000 to fund programs that help people become self-sufficient in some of the world’s poorest countries.

The harvest celebration will take place at the farm of Kurt and Deb Larson, 4478 E. 1675th Road, rural Earlville, on Oct. 13, beginning with an interdenominational worship service at 10 a.m.

The service will be followed by a large number of farming-related activities and displays, some of which include sheep shearing, bee keeping, livestock displays, hand husking and shelling, wool felting, wheat milling, straw baling, quilting, pumpkin carving, and butter and apple cider making. Those attending can ride in combines with farmers as they harvest this year’s crops. A pie auction and pedal tractor races also are featured.

A lunch of pulled pork or hamburger sandwiches will be served.

There is no charge to attend, although donations are accepted, and a donation is requested from those eating lunch. Since almost all goods and services are donated by local businesses and individuals, all donations go directly to support FRB programs.

FRB raises resources to support the capability and desire of small farmers in developing countries to grow lasting solutions to hunger. FRB engages volunteers to raise money for 50 to 60 overseas programs a year.

All of the programs focus on developing small-holder agriculture, often in the most remote and poorest regions of the world. FRB sees agriculture as the solution to hunger experienced in much of the world. If provided with training and basic inputs such as seeds or small tools, farmers can increase their harvest and therefore their food security.

In an FRB growing project, farmers each contribute the revenue from one or more acres. Members of the participating churches help defray the farmer’s cost of production. The farmers then meet and select which of FRB’s overseas programs to support.